Plastic container with double lock lid and tear band

Abstract

An all-plastic container comprising the combination of injection molded pail and lid. The lid initially locks onto the container at upper and lower undercuts and seals thereto by virtue of an inverted U-shaped peripheral section. A tear groove is formed in the lid skirt between the upper and lower locks to facilitate removal of the lower lock. The upper lock is segmented so as to make removal of the lid easier once the lower lock is removed. Indicia on the lid shows where the gaps in the lock segments are located. The lower lock may also be segmented to provide drainage for overfill which comes out of the pail when the lid is first applied. The lid and pail are dimensioned to provide a wedge seal between an unflanged pail rim and the top lock and to maintain a strong connection and seal even after the lower lock is removed.

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         6 . A plastic container comprising:
 a molded plastic open top pail with a sidewall terminating in an unflanged, uncurled, top rim, the sidewall having an upper, sealing portion with uninterrupted parallel inside and outside surfaces for about at least an inch below the rim;   said sidewall having formed on the outside surface thereof immediately below said sealing portion an outwardly projecting substantially annular uppermost locking bead and, spaced below said uppermost bead, an outwardly and downwardly extending substantially annular projection having a sloped top surface and a sharp inwardly extending annular undercut, the radially outward diameter of said projection being greater than the diameter of the first bead;   the lid comprising a recessed center deck surrounded by an integral peripheral upper structure defining a straight sided inverted U-shaped channel with opposing parallel inside and outside parallel annular interior surfaces is sized to sealingly receive and fully seat the upper sealing portion of the pail sidewall in a wedge fit wherein the inside and outside surfaces of the sidewall sealingly and fully contact the inside and outside interior surfaces of the channel, said lid further comprising a lower portion which flares radially out from the outside surface of the pail sidewall between the upper bead and the annular projection to create a radial space there between, said lower portion ending in a lowermost annular flange having a flat top edge and a bottom edge, the flat top edge lockingly extending into said undercut to form a lower lock between the lid and the pail sidewall only when the uninterrupted upper sealing portion of the pail and sidewall is fully sealingly seated into the channel;   the upper bead and the upper annular groove being in full engagement and forming an upper lock between the pail sidewall and the lid only when the upper uninterrupted portion of the container sidewall is sealingly and fully seated into the channel;   the sidewall having formed thereon below the downwardly and outwardly sloping projection, lowermost, annular ring that extends outwardly immediately under the bottom edge of the lid flange when locked in said flange so closely adjacent as to prevent the entry of fingers between the bottom edge and the lowermost annular ring;   the combination further comprising a circumferential frangible tear line approximately midway between the upper lock and the lower lock whereby the lower portion of the lid maybe removed to eliminate the lower lock and form a new bottom lid edge which stands radially outwardly from the pail sidewall to permit the lid, after removal of the lower portion below the tear line, to be grasped by the fingers and lifted upwardly and outwardly for the removal of the lid from the pail.   
     
     
         7 . A plastic container as defined in  claim 6  wherein the upper ring is segmented to provide a plurality of gaps, the container lid further having indicia molded onto the top surface of the lid immediately over at least some of said gaps in the segmented ring to indicate lifting locations for lid removal. 
     
     
         8 . A molded plastic standard combination as described in  claim 6  wherein the pail and lid are both formed of high density polyethylene.